I'm Sorry, But I'm Beginning to Hate Your Face
by marauderslover15
Summary: Drop-dead gorgeous banner by Elenia @ the-dark-art[dot]net Not sure who is the father… James or Albus. Well, this is troubling because as of right now, I can't stand either of their faces. (James/Albus/Original Character) *Fic title inspired by "I'm Sorry, But I'm Beginning to Hate Your Face" by Eagle Seagull
1. How it Happened WithJames

How it Happened With…James

James Sirius Potter had the perfect hair with boyish charm, slightly untidy with tufts sticking out in different directions as if he just stepped off a broom. He grinned a dazzling smile with his pearly white teeth. His face was of a honey beige against his green almond eyes that twinkled mischievously. His jaw was tough and chiseled and his shoulders broad and square. He had the v-figure of man, large torso where the muscles hid under his shirt.

"Aeris…" The voice sounded distant. "Aeris!" Now, clearer. "Aeris!" It was screeching.

"In the name of Merlin's beard, Harley!" Aeris snapped, pulling her eyes away from James. "You hag!"

"You were almost drooling!" she hissed. "But if you want to be swimming in your own drool, _by all means,_ _be my guest_." Aeris' eyes now focused on Harley with her orangey hair, nowhere near red like Rose, but still vibrant. Her brown eyes darkened accusingly against her shell beige skin. "Why don't you just speak to him? You have the biggest crush on him since _forever_!"

"No," she drawled, her eyes landing back on him.

She pierced him through the party crowd in the Gryffindor common room. The chattering was loud, there were a few booms here and there and obnoxious laughter filled the common room. The chant of "Gryffindor" was growing above the sound. Then, she felt a piercing gaze and quickly glanced around until she noticed Albus Severus Potter. The minute her eyes landed on him, he guilty looked away. She resumed her usual position, staring at James like the creep she was. She bit down her lip, thinking wayward thoughts about him as the pads of her fingers caressed the scarlet velvet armchair she was sitting on.

"_You're supposed to be in Gryffindor, have some courage_," teased Harley. "Do you feel how hot it is? Because I sense Miss Fiery Red coming towards us, ready to explode."

Aeris looked to see Rose storming their way with her face bright red as fiery as her hair. "Stupid James!" she spat. "Just because Gryffindor won their first match doesn't mean this party had to be so big. We could have kept it to just Gryffindors, but NOOOOOO, James wanted to invite Slytherins, Hufflepuffs and even the Ravenclaws—"

"Be glad those Ravenclaws didn't show up," grinned Harley. "Sore losers. But shouldn't you be happy, Rose? The blond Slytherin is here. Oh, I think he's eyeing you right now."

Rose turned, becoming even redder with a blush and Scorpius grinned at her, motioning her to him. "I'll be back you two."

Rose left as James approached. Aeris' heart was in her throat as she stilled by the elegant way his body moved. He was flashing gold in the sea of sliver. She just couldn't take her eyes off of him. He walked with confidence, finesse and every step was a calling. He…he just lured her in.

"Noticed you weren't drinking anything," he smiled, holding out a glass of firewhiskey. With a shaking hand, Aeris wrapped her fingers around the glass and slowly took it from his grasp.

"WHAT?" bellowed Harley, unnecessarily loud. "I'll be there! Bye, guys." Before Harley took her leave, Aeris shot her a glare, telepathically communicating with her, "I know no one called you." Harley shrugged as a response to the telepathic message.

Aeris casted her eyes downward in order to avoid James' gaze as she sipped the firewhiskey nervously. It tasted unbearably bitter and burned her throat.

"So…" said James, cocking his head to the side. "Is something going on between Rose and Malfoy?"

_Is this what he wants to talk about? _she thought

Aeris cleared her throat and shrugged. "You should ask her," she said softly.

"You're really quiet."

"Not always."

He nodded several times. _She is cute_, he thought. _But she doesn't look like the type for a one-night stand. She looks like she a hopeless romantic. Merlin, I hate those. I'll have sex with her and she'll think I'm some sort of prince charming. _

_Why does he keep looking at me like that?_ Aeris thought. _Is my hair okay? Do I have something in my teeth? Don't be stupid. You haven't smiled at him. I should smile. Smiling people are always more attractive. _

Aeris looked up at James, grinning awkwardly. He grinned back too awkwardly. He pointed to the armchair next to her and she nodded her answer. He threw himself in the armchair, sinking in its wonderful cushion. He threw his head back and lazily rested his arms on the arms of the chair, but tilted his head towards her.

"_Hey_," he grinned mischievously. "You were involved in the bathroom fiasco where three toilets blew up when those girls sat on them and pieces of the toilet seats broke the windows and landed outside. Not to mention the massive flooding and Moaning Myrtle worst shriek ever. And those girls I heard got marks on their asses. I have seen one of them." He whistled. "Not too sexy or a turn on."

Aeris shook her head and he cocked his eyebrow at her questioningly. She opened her mouth and closed it again, deciding she was too nervous to talk. That meant it require alcohol. She heard of the countless time how it made some brave; brave enough to talk to _the James Potter_. She took one hell of a gulp. She cleared her throat afterwards, finally looking at him right in the eye.

"I didn't do it."

"That's it?" he chuckled. "Come on, I heard you got a month's detention for that."

"I would like to think I was the witness that didn't report anything, but in reality I was the accomplice."

"The accomplice?" he grinned that boyish, oh so sexy grin. "How?"

"Well," Aeris whispered then decided to take another swing of her drink. "Harley did it. I gave her the spell. Well, _I made up the spell_ for the mini-explosions used when it came in contact with the girls."

"Really? I never thought you were out looking for some trouble."

"I don't. I get sucked in."

"Pull a prank with me."

"_Now?"_

"Now."

Aeris bit her bottom lip, lost in thought or more like debating with herself. Pranks were not her thing. Getting trouble was not her thing. Sitting in a corner somewhere, watching people was her thing. No, not like Rose who sat in the corner with a book, but actually _watching_ people, or one person: the James Potter. But this was a conflict because _the James Potter_ was asking her to do this. She was an obsessive idiot, just lured to him to the point she agreed, "Yes."

He shot quickly out of his chair with a playful glint in his eyes, which showed his incredible interest in her. _Most girls don't do this, he thought, but she is willing to. How far will she go for me? _He unconsciously smirked. He loved girls like this, but at the same time hated them. He loved them because they would literally bow in his presence. He hated because they were only interested because he was James Potter. Harry Potter's son. Quidditch idol. Sexy. And probably heard how massive his—

"Can I have a few drinks before we go?" He was brought down to reality, her soft voice barely audible and he nodded slowly.

"Fred! _Hey_, FRED!" called James.

Fred smiled widely as mischievously at James across the room, nodding at him.

James held up the glass Aries had, pointing at it then held up four fingers. He handed back the glass to Aeris. "Drink up. You have two more on the way."

She did exactly what she was told and guzzled it. Fred came weaving through the crowd gracefully with a grin plastered on his face. A person stepped back, almost bumping into Fred as he held the glasses up and away from the person. "Watch it," he beamed then winked. He kept moving with such grace until he was in front of them. "Here you two." Aeris grabbed two of the glasses in both hands as James did the same and Fred left with a fleeting grin and a wink at Aeris.

"Chug it up babe."

Aeris' face color deepened with hard blush as she did what she told. The liquid slid down her throat, burning it was fire. _No wonder they call it Firewhiskey_, she thought bitterly. James finished before and his eyes twinkled under the droopy lids. She slammed the glasses on a nearby coffee table and wiped her mouth with the back of her arm in the most unladylike fashion. He leaned forwarded, interlacing his hand with hers and sent her into another deep blush. He pulled her forward, dodging the moving mass of the common room and out.

"Too late for this," mumbled the Fat Lady sleepily.

Hogwarts was beautiful at night. The moonlight dipped through the windows, casting its slivery light on the marble floor. The glass stained windows reflected the light color of their vibrant paint when the moonlight caressed it. It was quiet, the whole castle still as if everything stopped in time. Then, again maybe Hogwarts was beautiful because there was a beautiful man in front of her. Through passages they crept, down the stairs as quiet as a mouse until they reached the basement. They halted in front of a gold, curvy frame with a painting of a bowl of fruit. Aeris frowned as James wiggled his fingers on the pear. It crackled in an awkward laugh. It swung open and James dragged Aeris in. Not even a sound in the kitchen.

"Where are the house-eves?" Aeris asked in a whisper.

"Probably sleeping. _Look_, they baked pies for tomorrow. These are for the Ravenclaws. It's blueberry. Use that spell."

"_What_?" she hissed. "For what? You won the match."

"Yeah, but they didn't show up to the party, those sore losers. Plus, did you not see what they tried to do to Fred?"

"They were beaters, for Merlin's sake. What do you expect?"

"Oh, come on now. Please."

He pouted and widened his eyes, almost trying to intimate a sad puppy look and she gave in. She took out her wand, going to each pie, murmuring the incantation. With the last wave, she finally turned to James who was looking down at his nails lazily. "Done." He gazed up, grinning and moved towards her so quickly, she thought she was going to faint. He wrapped his arms around her in appreciation, lifting her up and squeezing her. She giggled as he swung her around. Slowly, she slipped down in his arms until she was face to face with him. Her heart almost felt like it stopped with time. She was gazing into those beautiful eyes that always twinkled. One his hand brushed up her back and neck into her hair, his finger entangling into her brown hair. He looked into those hazel eyes and he noticed her eyes had a hint of topaz. They were probably the most beautiful eyes he ever seen. He leaned in to her, his lips touching her softly. She was not a lip virgin anymore. _My first kiss is with the JAMES POTTER!_ she screeched in her head. She smiled against his lips at the thought.

How could one kiss make him so hungry? He pressed against his lips harder and rougher as she began to feel more confused by the moment by his lack of gentleness. He sat her on the counter, kissing and then sucked roughly on the skin on her neck. His hands moved down to her shirt, unbuttoning it, his fingers brushing on the upper skin of her curves. Her body was fire, screaming for him and he was hungry, wanting nothing more to satisfy the craving. And she let him take her right on that kitchen counter.

James watched her wipe the kitchen counter, her hair a slightly frizzy as he fiddled his fingers. This was always the hardest part for him: leaving. "So—er—I guess I'll get going?"

She turned, cocking her eyebrow and in her usual whisper, she asked, "Going?"

"Yeah. You're cleaning up so—erum— I'll get going and you know, you do your thing… Anyway, thanks." He rushed out of there as if a dragon's fire breath was chasing after him. _Shit_, he thought, shaking away the guilt.

Aeris hung her head, leaning her butt on the counter. _Oh…_ she thought. She ran her fingers through her unkempt hair, thinking sadly. She thought, _I just lost my virginity to James Potter who seemed like he didn't even care._ _**Wait, I lost my virginity to THE JAMES POTTER!**_ She squealed in delight, but her subconscious snapped, _But he left you_. Her grin faltered as she cradled her head in her hands and sighed. She now got to experience her first heart break and it was killing her heart with a twisted pain in her chest. Through the cabinets of the kitchen she went, opening and closing the doors until she found what she needed. She pulled the Firewhiskey bottle and took a swing from it. She heard not only does alcohol make some brave, but it was a good temporary remedy for a heartbreak. She sat cross-legged on the floor, drinking away into the night or more like morning. Finally, at two in the morning, she stumbled out of the kitchen, making her way clumsily to the Gryffindor tower. She was bumping against walls and tripping on steps. Her body was becoming unbearably heavy until she collapsed in the middle of one of the corridors. She wasn't entirely sure where she was. Aeris laid on the floor as with her limbs spread apart, soaking in the moonlight and wondered if she could get a tan from moonlight. _Yeah_, she thought stupidly, _a werewolf tan_. Then, a shadowy figure blocked the moonlight as it hovered above her. Her eyes focused.

It was Albus Severus Potter.

How It Happened with…Albus

About Last Night

How to Easily Fall In Love with James Potter

How Form the Biggest Crush on Aries Evensong

How to Not Trust Girls

Better Duck and Avoid those Boys

Well, This is Troubling

How to Fail at Getting Aries Attention

How to Avoid Aries' Attention and Weird Piercing Stares

How to Hate Faces and Try Not to Feel Sorry – love letter and getting coach by Al

Dating that Weird Slytherin Boy and No, Not Al

Dating the Right Slytherin Boy and Yes, that's Al

The Ultimate Confession, not to Mention Worst

Who's the Father?

Dating that One

A Very Awkward Christmas


	2. How it Happened WithAlbus

Albus Severus Potter had slightly untidy hair that fell into his eyes mysteriously as if he was hiding something about him. He slightly scowled. His green eyes with some slight blue, almost like seaweed in water, thought Aries. They were slightly duller. His face was bare ivory and the counters of his face gentle. He was not necessarily built or broad, but lean.

"What are you doing?" he hissed.

"I am getting a werewolf tan!" giggled Aries.

"Werewolf—? Evensong, that doesn't even make any sense."

"_Wait_, you know my name Potter?" she hiccupped.

"Yeah…" he said, eyeing her awkwardly.

"_How_?"

"How do you know my name?"

She shrugged, her shoulders wiping the floor. "You know, you're like the—the—guy—who plays on the—um _mops_." Her train of thought was breaking apart, skipping almost.

He chuckled, "I think you mean brooms…"

"Yeah, those," she squeaked. She lifted her wobbly arm up to poke him in his shoulder. "You didn't answer—hiccup—my question. _How do you know my name_?"

Albus bit down on his bottom lip, his mind screaming, _Because I have the biggest crush on you ever!_ Of course, he couldn't say that. He was coward as he never officially spoke to her since now, but also now wasn't the right time to confess a longtime crush when she was drunk. She wouldn't even remember. It would be pointless to confess and have to experience all the emotional strain of nervousness, a spark of bravery and the possibility of regret from a looming possibility of rejection. He rather postpone that emotional strain until he can properly confess his crush when she wasn't drunk or lying on the floor getting a werewolf tan, whatever that meant.

"It's a small school," he lied.

"You are attentive."

"So I been told," he mumbled. "Come on, let's get you up and back to the Gryffindor common room…"

"Do I hear little ickle students in the corridor? Oh, the headmaster won't like this."

"_Shit_," he hissed, knowing the mischievous, crackling voice. "_Peeves_. Come one, Evensong. Get up!" He attempted to lift her up lightly, but she was dead weight, giggling into her hand, only vaguely suppressing. "Evensong!" he scolded through gritted teeth, but still she refused. He then lifted her into his arms with a swishing motion as she squealed in a drunk's delight. She was light in his arms as he cut the corner after corner to put distance between them and the horrid, ass hole of a ghost. His mind was so set to get as far away from Peeves that he did not realize he was finally down in the dungeons, Aries becoming heavy in his arms. Everything was a blur of colors of black, blue, sliver and gray for her. In front of the Slytherin common room entrance, he hissed yet again, "Shit. Uh, Evensong, I'll get you back to your er—common room—"

"No!" she said bratty. "I don't want to go back there!" James clouded her mind, laughing evilly at her own stupidity. The MWHAHAHA of his laugh hung in her ears as a hallucination.

"SH! Fine, I will bring you in here."

She glanced at the dark bricked wall in front of them and laughed, "Oh, no! We are ghost, aren't we?" She must have died of mortification of being ditch by James. _That made sense…but how did Albus turn into a ghost?_ Oh, she got a werewolf tan and turned into a werewolf and ate Albus. Now, it really makes sense. "Okay, let's float away into that wall. Onwards, comrade!" She pointed at the wall with enthusiasm.

He chuckled at the wall, "Dementor's kiss." With a rumble, the brick shifting away to make an entrance to the Slytherin common room. Albus walked down the marble stairs. The common room was dungeon-like with dark bricks on the walls, fading away delicately. The green light splashed against the wall from the lamps and the window view of the underwater lake. They pashed right by the black leather sofas and green velvet armchairs. Chandeliers swung from the ceiling, squeaking eerily. He walked up the wooden stairs, draped with velvet green rugs in the center. A wooden door was slightly opened and he pushed it with his back and headed to the center bed on the right. He laid her gently on his bed.

"Your bed is comfy," she mumbled with a smile, digging herself deeper into the bed and its comfort.

"Thanks? I'll get you some water, okay?" He whispered, "Aguamenti" into a glass on his bedside and the water shot out. He handed it to her and she took a sip. She smacked her lips thankfully.

"Did you drink from this glass earlier?" she asked.

He nodded, "Er—yeah."

"So, I indirectly kiss you?"

"I guess so."

"That is my second kiss," she grinned stupidly, she definitely wasn't a pathetic lip virgin anymore.

"That isn't a _real_ kiss…" He leaned forward, his face inches away from her. The stale smell of alcohol filled his nose, mixed with the sweet smell of vanilla perfume. He didn't care though. He concreted on the sweet smell, always imaging her smelling so delicately like her soft-spoken voice. He was tempted by her proximity. "This is," he whispered bravely. The inches of space weren't there anymore. His lips held onto hers, his lips were supple and full against hers. His hand moved to the nape of her neck, up into her hair and entangled his fingers with her brown hair. He sighed on her lips. His lips on hers were sensual and gentle as if he put all his affection into a kiss.

"Oi, AL!"

They both jerked from each other startled as Albus looked crossly at Scorpius.

"Ah, shit, sorry…" he grinned sheepishly. "Didn't mean to interrupt anything." He stepped into the dorm as Albus glared at him, waiting. Aries grinned with Scorpius, her lids heavy and droopy. As the seconds ticked away, Scorpius became more amused by Albus' glare. "So….Evensong, right?"

"YUP!" she shouted enthusiastically.

"Rose's friend, right?"

"YUP!"

"Where are you going with this, blond boy?" snapped Albus.

Scorpius grinned mischievously. "Nothing. You know maybe double dates to the next Hogsmade trip. You know. Butterbeers and all. The whole nine yards." He flashed a grin at Albus naughtily, but turned his attention back to Aries. "What do you think? Me and Rose. You and Albus."

"I never been on a date!" she squealed excitedly.

Scorpius turned his head and muffled his laugh with his hand. The words, "She's a lost cause, this girl," slipping through the cracks of his fingers and hands. His twinkling grey eyes landed on Albus who narrowed his own eyes as a response. "So, Al, what do you say? She seems keen on going…"

"OUT!" roared Albus, jumping on his feet and picking up his wand from the nightstand.

"Alright, alright. Just wanted to check up on you! You kind of left depressed!" he said as he walked out with a sheepish grin plastered on his face.

Albus looked down at the floor embarrassedly, running his hand through his hair. "Fucking dick…"

"I hope they can get married," smiled Aries warmly.

Albus smiled at her. "I'm guessing Rose and Scorp, you mean?" Aries nodded frantically with eagerness and he grinned at her response. "You know, Evensong, its better when you're not so quiet."

"Am I quiet?"

"Yeah, expect when you're with Valentine. She seems to get the most out of you. But even with her you are so soft-spoken, mumbling and muttering all the time. _Why_?"

The grin he saw with all night disappeared into a pouty frown with her eyebrows furrowed. She was thinking. "Well… I don't know really. I'm just shy. I don't have any confidence in myself in anything. Not in schoolwork or making friends… None of that. I'm so afraid of people judging me…"

Albus sat on the bed next to her and leaned forward to tuck a loose wave behind her ear and out of her eyes. "You shouldn't be though. I think if you opened yourself up a lot of people would get to know you and like you…"

"That's what Harley says…" she whispered.

"How did you become friends with loud mouth Valentine?"

Her frowned turned into a grin again which Albus found incredible comfort in. "She does have a little bit of a loud mouth, doesn't she?" Albus nodded as she dazed off about Harley. "Well," she said, her eyes averting back to Albus. "I have to say our friendship started because of her. She got all in my face on the train to Hogwarts, asking over and over, Merlin it was endless, why don't I speak? Then when I did speak, she started bothering me why did I speak so low and tried to teach me to yell and yodlee. I didn't like her much…until one day I got homesick and she had all the girls made a bed of the floor… We ate candy and talked about school and home…until the early morning where we all feel asleep, but Harley was the only one to constantly pester me how I was and also for me to yell more…" Aries smiled absently as Albus smiled back at her dreamily. She jerked slightly as if she woke from a deep sleep. "Sorry," she giggled. "Am I babbling?"

"No, you're cute when you babble …" he whispered huskily. "And when you grin like this. It's like you have your guard down. I like it."

She blushed ferociously. He became so close where she saw her own reflection in his beautiful pale green eyes as her own eyes widened by the eroticizing smell. His scent wasn't hyper masculine, but rather gentle and spiced, filling her nose in comfort. She felt his finger tips brush her fingers delicately, his fingers soon interlacing gently with hers. His eyes were blazing with an intensity that awakened a feeling in her underbelly. Her breath was ragged as he came closer. All she heard was a heart thumping and it assumed it had to be hers because her heart was wild in her chest. The thump in Albus' chest was steady, but hard. He finally got to feel what her skin felt like and it was incredibly soft. He wanted nothing more, but to live in this moment. He brought her hand to his lips, kissing her palm and wrist. She couldn't help, but to blush. His actions were gentle and affectionate, almost romantic. He looked up at her, her hazel eyes widening. He lost it. He was in the moment; he could finally have her here. Finally, come face to face with her. Although he was choking on a confession, maybe he could show her his feeling though the affection he gave her tonight. He cupped the nape of her neck, pulling her into a kiss. And from there, it was inevitable.

The sun lightened the green curtains of the four bed poster to a pale green with a tinged yellow and white in the center where the sunlight hit. The light casted bright vivid colors on Aries' vision as her eyes flutter open. Her back was sore and she felt cramped… She looked next to her and slapped her hands over her mouth so she wouldn't yell out in surprise. There was a pale boy next to here with untidy black hair, sleeping soundly. She groaned internally, her head throbbing and replaying the night's events. She slept with Albus! How? It went back further. Drinking, excessive drinking. Why? Heartbreak from James leaving right after her first-time making love. When? The memories flooded her from the moment she laid eyes on James that night…

She slept with two guys in the same night. Well, technically one at night and the other early in the dead morning, but either way she constituted she was a slut. She trembled at the thought. All she could hope was that Albus was drunk and wouldn't remember. In truth, he wasn't, she was and if she was drunk and remember it all, a sober Albus would definitely remember.


	3. About Last Night

Aries pulled back the green curtain of the four poster bed, peeking to find every other sixth year boy sleeping soundly, so deep in their sleep that some were talking nonsense, "No, Scrop, my banana. Merlin curse you, _don't_ turn into a banana." She smiled lopsidedly, trying to suppress a giggle. She shyly slipped on her clothes and tip toed out. At the foot of the stairs, she peeked around the corner and the common room was empty. This is when she decided to dash out of the common room, down the halls and upstairs like a frantic jogger.

"Aries!"

She halted into her tracks, trembling from the shame and guilt as she faced Rose. "Hi—um, Rose…"

"Hiya and good morning," beamed Rose.

They both stopped off to the side of the Great Hall with grand wooden golden doors with arches of stone over it. With quick glances inside, four tables were set up with few students taking its seats. The ceiling dissolved into a bright blue sky with fluffy clouds strolling along. She continually glanced at the crow statue near them as if it was judging her.

"You alright?" asked Rose with a puzzled expression.

"Hm? Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah," said Aries dismissively.

"Well, Harley was looking for you all night. Where've you been?"

Aries' mouth want dry and she was about to faint. How do you tell your friend that you slept with both of her cousins? She'll probably accuse you of sleeping with the rest of her family too.

"ROSE!" squeaked Dominique.

Oh, Dominique the life-saver. Dominique jogged over, grinning. "Aries! HEY!"

"Hi, Dom," she muttered with a smile.

"As quiet as ever," she smiled.

"Yeah, you should learn from her," teased Rose. "Yelling so early in the morning. Hey, are you having breakfast with us, Aries?"

Aries shook her head. "Sorry… I'm going to see Harley."

"Yeah," nodded Dominique. "She was worried about you last night. Well, by the time Harley wakes up, it'll be lunch time. So, see you at lunch?"

She nodded.

"'Kay, then. See you later!" Dominique winked. They began walking and Aries attempted to walk at a normal pace, but was fidgeting to break into a run. Once the two turned into the Great Hall with the last words of Dominique whispering to Rose, "How was it with Malfoy?" Aries broke into a run.

She ran as if she was being chased by a dragon's fire blast or a troll was stomping behind her, swinging its club. She wanted nothing more to be in the comfort of room, of her bed and possibly in the comfort Harley's ease and jokes. As she sprinted past paintings that covered every inch of the wall, she began to hallucinate that the moving people of the pictures were chanting, "SLUT! SLUT!" Her legs worked harder to get her where she wanted to be. The Fat Lady with was looking smug with her thin red lips and rosy cheeks against her pale skin. She kept rolling her shoulders with a smirk as she looked at herself in a mirror. No matter how smug she looked, right now she was looking like a savior to Aries. That did not last very long though. The portrait swung open and stepped out her worst nightmare: James Potter followed by his Gryffindor male cousins and Justin Woods. They were laughing obnoxiously and freely and stopped when they noticed Aries. James cocked his eyebrow at her and she squeaked and fidgeted. She ran past them and clambered into the porthole, tearing her way up to the dorm. Inside, Harley was lying on her stomach on her bed, her arm dangling at the edge.

"Harley!" squeaked Aries, jumping on the bed.

Harley moaned and stretched her limbs before her eyes fluttered open to see Aries looking worriedly at her. Harley's eye widened and she threw her arms around Aries. "MERLIN, I was worried about you." She pulled back, holding on the arms Aries' at arms' length. "I saw you leave with James, but you never returned. I kept asking him, but he was kinda drunk, he wasn't answering properly that git. _What happened_? _Where you been_?"

"About last night…" she muttered. "I—um—kinda—um—slept with James?"

"Are you asking me what happened or are you telling me?" She narrowed her eyes at her.

"I'm telling you," sighed Aries. Harley's eyes widened, but Aries continued, "And I slept with Albus."

Harley's jaw dropped in utter shock that caused her to be completely speechless.

"Harley… I'm a slut…"

The shock expression immediately turned into one of amusement. "No, you're not, Aries. _I'm the school slut_. I slept with all the sixth and seventh years of Ravenclaw. Almost all the sixth and seventh years of Hufflepuff expect the Scamander twins. About four Slytherins. Justin Woods and let's not forget Fred Weasley. So, are you really a slut Aries…?" she asked with a comforting smile.

"You're not a slut, Harley."

"Please!" she drawled. "I am what I am. No shame in admitting it. I'm a slut. I hear what they say about me, you know. But this isn't about me. It's about you. You're not a slut. I mean _yeah_ they are brothers, but it's still only _two _guys… But _hey_!" Harley patted Aries' on the back. "Proud of you! Finally lost your virginity!"

Aries shrugged.

"Who was first?"

"James…"

"_Ooooh!_ So, to your dream man too… _Whose_ was bigger?"

"HARLEY!" Aries grabbed the pillow and hit her lightly, but scolding.

Harley laughed freely. "I understand why you slept with James… _Why Albus_?"

"I was drunk and he was nice… James' not so much. After…we…you _know_, he just left like nothing," Aries frowned.

"No, he didn't!"

Aries nodded. "And he didn't say anything to me this morning."

"No, he didn't!"

Aries nodded yet again.

"You got to go speak to him! You're not a piece of meat. You're not a one night stand. You're not a fuck buddy! Oh, no, no, no, no! I don't want to hear it. You're going to speak to the little fucker."

Most of the time, Aries wondered how she ever landed herself in Gryffindor. There was little bravery in her; she was more like a coward, almost unable to face the rawest feelings of her heart. It was the rawest feeling of her love for James Potter. Although Harley used the word "obsession" often when referring to Aries' feeling for James, he always made her heart flutter. The current situation though did make her feel like an obsessed stalker as Harley and Aries hid around the corner in a squatting position.

"I can't do it!" Aries hissed.

"Listen, he's about to come over this way in a few. I suggest you tell him he can't ignore you like that and act like this is nothing. Aries, stand up for yourself for Merlin's sake. You know what, I'll do it."

"NO! You make things too complicated. Remember with Dominique and Woods? Justin Woods? Or his sister, Nora Woods and Chase Smith?"

"Merlin," muttered Harley as she rolled her eyes. "A girl instigates a few times and you hold it against her forever." She peeked around the corner and snapped back. "He's coming. Go!"

Harley forcefully pushed Aries and tugged at her jeans until she was finally exposed in the corridor. James was strolling with his hands hitched in his pocket, laughing with Fred loudly. His hair was unkempt and untidy and she blushed by his charms. He turned to Fred and Fred noticed her too as a smirk played on Fred's lips. They stopped in front of her.

"So, you okay?" asked Fred.

"Well…er—um…" stuttered Aries.

"You know with the way you squeaked and all?"

"I'm fine. Thank you," she muttered politely with a deep blush. She casted her eyes at her feet, feeling James' gaze too much. "Potter… Can I talk to you, um, please?"

"What was that?" asked Fred.

"Potter," she lifted her gaze to meet his. James shifted uncomfortably, but maintained his amusement gaze. _This girl_, he thought slightly nerved by her, but refused to show it. She continued, "Can I talk to you please?"

He narrowed his eyes at her. Immediately, one word popped into his head, _Shit_. "Sure," he answered.

"Alone…?"

"Yeaaahhh," drawled Fred teasingly. "Alright then. Well, I'll meet you in the common room, _Jamesy_." As he past Aries, he gave her a wink. Harley stepped out of the corner and gave an encouraging smile at Aries and a shot a glare at James. She wrapped her arm around Fred's shoulder loosely with a mischievous grin as both walked away, teasing excitedly.

"So, what is it that you want to talk about?" he asked with a cocked eyebrow.

"About last night…" she mumbled.

"What about last night?"

She sighed and gulped down all the feeling of cowardice that began sprouting and looked at him directly in the eyes. "About last night, how we hooked up."

James forced a gentle smile. "Evensong, right? Not sure…"

He, of course knew her name. Aries Evensong. She was cute, but weirdly quiet. She squeaked with nervousness every time she saw him. She scampered away. And he knew the reason. She, of course, liked him. Well, thought she liked him. She didn't know the real him. His words were a knife piercing through her heart and she wanted nothing more than to cry. She hoped he didn't see the change of her expression, but he noticed. He noticed she was going to cry that loveless, heart-breaking despair. He looked at her coldly and thought, _she knows nothing about heart break_. _It's not real love, stupid. You're infatuated with me. Nothing else. Just like every other girl._

"It is Evensong…" she replied meekly, looking down at her feet.

"Right. Listen, about last night, it's like you said. It was a hook up. It didn't mean anything."

She nodded.

"Alright, then. I'll see you around. Bye." He walked past her, giving her a pat on the back and continued on his way. _Girls they are all the same_, he thought bitterly.

Aries felt as if the air was ripped right out of her lungs and her heart just stopped. She swallowed the cry of a sob and immediately with balled fists, her nails digging painfully in her palms walked outside to the court yard. The fresh air of October filled her nose as the cold nipped her, sending goose bumps all over her body. She slightly shivered, but took a seat on one of the stone benches that burned her butt through the jeans with its iciness. She watched a few students walk through the corridors and the small bird landing in the still water of the foundation in the middle. She replayed the words between her and James. She thought of herself as an idiot. A true moron. The James Potter, sex animal and playboy, would have not treated her any different. They barely spoke. He barely knew her. But she knew him… She of course was in love with him—

"_Hey_."

She perked up at the calling, hoping it was James, but it was Albus walking toward in in a green hoodie and _really_ nice fitting pants. She blushed.

"Mind if I sit?"

She shook her head.

He sat next to her, leaning forward with elbows propped on his knees. She could hear him take a sharp intake of the air and sighed with relief. Albus loved the way the winter air felt as he breathed in it, the colder the air, the more refreshing…_just like her_. He looked up at her from his lashes as she stared stiffly into the distant.

"Soooo," he drawled. "How was your day?"

"Okay," she mumbled. "Yours?"

"So, far so good…" He leaned back, his hands grasping the edges of the bench behind him as he stared at her. He swore he could hear his heartbeat, "Ba-dump. Ba-dump." As he took slow breaths to calm it. "Well, listen about last night…"

Aries' heavy sigh cut him off. "I know it was a hook up." Her eyes met his. "I know. You and you're brother are a lot alike."

"_Alike_?" he scoffed angrily, sitting up. "_Alike_? How are we even alike?"

"You both hook up with girls like nothing."

"Is that what you think? You are one to talk," he sneered. "Like I wasn't a _fucking _hook up to you."

She didn't answer.

"That's what I thought. I was a hook up to you. And you know what, _yeah_, you were a hook up to me." He licked his lips, feeling she was unbelievable and was angered by it. He shook his head and leaned toward her. "You were drunk and I know girls who are drunk get slutty. And you did. Do you remember the nasty things you did to me? Like went down on me? Then, begged me to shag the fuck out of you?"

"You're a dick…" she said meekly with tears in her eyes. She sniffed, "I can _really_ see the resemblance."

Albus jumped to his feet, looking down at her. "I thought you were different, but you know what? You're not. You're like every—body else. Bye, Evensong. The girl who is no different from the thick-headed girls here at Hogwarts." He walked away.

Merlin! She thought the Potter brothers were nice guys. She looked up and watch Albus disappear inside. But she realized she was wrong and was really beginning to hate their faces.

**A/N: So, this is like my first real Next-Gen. Please leave a little review down in the bottom box (yes, that one…right there…okay, yeah thanks.) XOXO**


	4. How Not to Trust Girls

James rubbed the back of his neck, the pads of his fingers going deep into his skin, pressing on the stressed spots of skin. His hand slid up into his hair, ruffling the black untidy tufts. Fred threw himself besides him on the scarlet velvety couch as James paid him no mind. He was staring thoughtfully at the fire crackling and hugging the wood. He tried to push Aries' face scrunched with hurt and her eyes swimming in tears. He knew that look too well. Her face was haunting his mind, but Fred's slight cough of clearing his throat saved James from the damnation of his mind.

"She lettered me," Fred said quietly, slapping an envelope in his hand repeatedly.

Although James did not look away from the fire, his face hardened and his eyes went cold. "Did she now?"

"She did…" he whispered, leaning forward and peering at James. Fred was examining James and he could feel his cousin's stare burn into the side of his face.

"What is it?" James snarled finally.

"I was waiting for you to act touché. What to know what she said?" asked Fred.

"No."

"Merlin, didn't even hesitate. She asked for you, you know… She still wonders about you…"

"I don't want to talk about her…" grumbled James.

"You loved her once," pressed Fred.

"_Once_—"

_Time warp into a flashback_

"You're really cute!" James started into the blue eyes as light as the bright cloudless sky. Her long lashes batted as her supple, full lips slowly smiled. Her cheekbones of rose against the beige skin became more defined. She continued to talk, "Great game by the way. I was cheering for you the entire time. Do you think you'll ever go pro?"

"Er—" He had nothing to say. Words were caught in his throat, but he nodded.

"Do you mind if I sit?"

James bashfully shook his head quickly and nervously. He had expected her to sit beside him, but she climbed onto his lap, her soft cushion butt sitting right on his crouch. He blushed profusely, glancing everywhere, but her. She looked down at him, smiling.

"So… do you have a girlfriend or anything?"

He shook his head.

"Do you even know who I am?"

He nodded.

"Who then?" she grinned, cocking her head to the side, her blonde waves falling into her face.

"Chanel," he croaked. "Chanel McLaggen… You're in your seventh year."

"And you, James Potter in your fifth… Kinda of young, but you don't look so young… I wonder if you're young or _older_ in other places." She bluntly was looking down at her lap and rubbed her bottom against his crotch teasingly. She titled her head back at him, grinning. "Would you ever let me find out?"

He nodded, but the only question burning in his mind was, '_Would you ever let me find out more about you_?' It was unfortunate he really would find out more about her. It was the most dangerous thing he could do.

He was staring right into her eyes again, those blue clear eyes. It was so bright like Caribbean waters and he felt like he would swim and get lost in those eyes forever. She removed the quill clenched between her teeth, setting it down between the valley of the opened book. Strands of wavy blonde hair fell from her bun into her face.

"Came back for more?" she whispered teasingly.

He leaned on the cubicle on the opposite with arms folded, looking down at her. "Not necessarily," he smiled. "Not for the same thing you thought I came back for."

"Hm…" She cocked her head to side, twirling the quill between the pads of her fingers in both hands. "So, what did you come back for?"

"I want to get to know you."

Her lips twitched into a smile. "For what?"

James laid his head on his folded arms. "Because you give me confidence."

"We did it once and I gave you confidence?" she chuckled. "I can't imagine if we would do it more. Your head will be so inflated you won't be able to keep it up while flying on a broom."

He laughed, earning him a hard glare from Madam Windtin. He pressed his lips together, but continuing smiling. He shook his head. "You're pretty funny."

"You're pretty social. You weren't like that a few nights ago."

"Because I was nervous… Everyone has a crush on you…and then you speak to me? And not only that… All night you told me how strong I was. How you never saw a more beautiful man than me?"

"Merlin, did I really say all those things?" Chanel giggled. "I did, didn't I? I shouldn't have. You're broom will fall from the air from how big I made your head be."

"I already have a big head, so if my broom lasted this long, I'm sure I'll be fine…"

"Do you mean in the perverted sense?" she smirked.

"I'm not the pervert here, you are," he joked.

She continued to smile as if she could never stop smiling. Her smile burned into his mind, a picture he always returned to because she smiled with such force. It was a force that could make his head spin. It was a force that made his heart beat wildly. It was a force greater than that. Her smile was a force to make the sky glitter with rainbows. Her smile was a force to stop his entire world.

"So," whispered James with a goofy grin as he leaned forward. "Madam Windtin is glaring at me. Do you want to ditch this library and go for a walk?"

"Yes," she said gratefully. "Let me finish these couple of sentences on the essay. Merlin forbids if I get anything lower than a ninety." She smiled one last time before bowing her head and scribing on the parchment.

"Would you—JUST GET OUT! OUT!" boomed Madam Windtin.

James jumped with fright, his eyes darting madly about for the crow-like woman as if was the culprit. He noticed on the left, a girl with red-orange hair speedily walking with a petite, girl behind her.

"OUT!" screeched the Madam.

"Harley, hurry!" whispered the petite girl in a whine.

"Aries, calm down. What the hell is she going to do? Throw—?"

A book came flying their way on a spin, slicing through the air towards the girl. Aries turned on her heel, aiming her wand at the book. She squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for impact, but murmured a spell. The book exploded, its pages and shreds of paper floating nonchalantly in the air. Through the whirlwind, of book pages was Madam Windtin, her arms spread and her long cloak lifting from the floor like wings ready to fly and attack.

"SHIT!" drawled Harley. "Aries, the fuck?"

"MY BOOKS!" crowed the Madam with a screech that trembled the windows.

"ARIES!" cried Harley, turning to run with the other girl named Aries at her heel. "You are the bravest, but stupidest person I know!" The girls scurried out of the library in a flash with Harley's last words, drawling, "THHIISSS ISSS WHHYYY I LOOOVVEE YOOUUU!"

James stared after them in shock. The images of the girls flashing through his head especially the petite one, named Aries. The memory of her wavy brown hair flying through the runner's wind and her wide eyes was fresh in her mind. He swore he saw her lips twitch in a smile after the aftershock of the Madam's darkness erupting in her and spilling out.

Chanel looked behind her at the library doors with a smile. "Pair Aries Evensong with Harley Valentine, you'll get a completely different girl. She's always so quiet, but Harley's her confidence…" Her eyes now lifted up to James. "Like you said that I'm yours. Anyway, done…"

"OUT!" screeched the Madam at the two.

"Going! Going!" pleaded Chanel with a smile. She stuffed the parchment away into the bag, capped the ink bottle and threw her quill carelessly into the back. With a flick of her wand, the bag vibrated and zoomed away. "Come," she said to James.

James scrambled to her side of the cubicle and she interlaced her hand with his. She pulled forward and she led him out of the library. She was several steps in front of him, their arms outstretched as he was behind her. He watched their hands in a daze and his cheeks were hot with a blush. Her hand felt right in his. It was like fate was sending electricity through their hands to send them a message. They were meant to be. The winter air hit him, the harsh and fullness of it filling his sense. He looked up from their hands, squinting at the burning sun in the cloudless sky as blue as her eyes. Dead grass crunched between their feet as they headed toward the lake. In the distance, there was a tree that was picture perfect and a shadow sitting between its shades, but he didn't pay any mind to who it was. They halted at the edge of the lake and her hand dropped to her sides much to his dismay. Chanel began peeling off her shoes and socks and rolled up her pants. She stepped into the water, walking slowly until its dark water reach her knees.

"What _are you doing_?" he hissed. "That water has muck and seaweed. And it must be freezing!"

She shrugged with a grin. "I'm not the prissy girl you like to think that I am."

"So, what kind of girl are you?"

"Well, you'll just have to find out, don't you?" she smirked.

And he did. It was the _really _most unfortunate thing to do. The most unfortunate thing he ever did was getting to know her.

Every night was something different. She would take his hand and led him to a world of thought and curiosity. Moreover, she was leading him into a world where everything was much brighter because he was falling in love. On some nights, it'll be conversating to the paintings, asking about their life stories and how they all seemed so grand to theirs. On other nights, it'll be prowling through passageway, opening their eyes to strange wonders of the castle like the forest-filled room no longer used. Other times, it was lounging around the edge of the lake, feeding the squid and showing it humanity. Some nights, they were tucked away in between the bed sheets, indulging themselves in the vices the body has to offer. On others, was spending some alone time, loneliness feeding on James. But on this particular night, the castle was without life as they stood in front of a glass stained window.

Her hand spread against a window of yellow and she closed her eyes as if she felt something. "I love these," she whispered. "They tell stories… They always have been my favorite part of the castle. The most beautiful part…"

His eyes which were on her, looked up at the window. "I find you the most beautiful part of the castle…" He now looked down at her again.

"I'm not a part of it," she giggled.

"Yeah, you are. You bring life to it. I hear you in it even when you're not around. Your laugh. Your voice. Your footsteps…"

It was strange sight to James to see her not smiling, but her face strangely grave. His insides froze to ice with fear and through the silence, only his hard-thumping heartbeat could be heard. He wondered, his eyes searching her, if he had said something wrong.

"You're very romantic, James," she said gravely. "But don't fall in love with me because it won't be love that you feel."

He never understood what she meant, but he soon did.

With a grumbling stomach, James like a zombie walked slowly down the flight of stairs of the boys' dorm. He was such in a trance from the craving of caldron cakes, he didn't hear the slight ruffles of blankets and the low moans of pleasure. When he stepped on the last step, it creaked loudly.

"Who's there?"

A shadow popped up from the couch, peering over as James squinted his eyes. His eyes adjusted to the low light the fire was casting and it was— "Chanel," he gasped with a smile. He walked over to her with a wide smile, "I'm hungry. Do you want to go—?" He stopped mid-sentence, seeing her naked back. A seventh year student, shifted to see him. His chest of muscles were bare other than the little curls of black hair.

"Really?" he asked accusingly. "Had to interrupt?"

"Wha—What are you doing?" James stuttered with wide eyes.

"Trying to fuck," spat the seventh year. "We made it our mission to fuck everywhere."

James stared at Chanel, searching for something. A sign that this was not real, that is was a prank, that it was a _dream_.

"James—it wasn't like we were going out."

Her words set his body on fire, burning with the pain of her words. Those words she said was a knife, twisting into his heart then pulling it out and stabbing his heart again. His stomach knotted in protest, forgetting its hunger.

James swallowed the overwhelming feeling to cry. "But I…I love you…"

"James," she sighed. "It's not love you feel. It's infatuation. You like me because I'm new, refreshing, _different_. But I'll become boring soon enough. It always happens. We're too young to know any better. We always _think_ we're in love, but we aren't. It's always infatuation…"

He swore it wasn't infatuation in his heart. It was real, raw love. Infatuation though would have been a lot better because it wouldn't hurt as much as it did now.

James' footsteps echoed in the corridor. Birds chirped about the arrival of summer as the warm breeze swept from the courtyard through the open windows into the corridor. The sunlight dipped through the same windows, its rays touching James comfortingly with its warmth. Laughter from students hung in the air with celebration of the end of a new year.

"JAMES!"

James halted, sighing and preparing himself to face _her_. He turned slightly, cocking his eyebrow. He saw her graduation robes whip around her ankles and her blonde hair flowing in the runner's wind. Her blue eyes…her blue eyes twinkled with an intensity of happiness. She stopped in front of him.

"James," Chanel breathed.

"Congrats," he whispered sadly with sober eyes on her.

"Thanks," she gasped with a grin. "It's over now. I'll be heading out… Ministry for Sweden. I'm excited."

"Good for you," he mumbled.

"Listen, I know these last few months we barely spoke, but…" she sighed and continued, "I want you to know that you gave me some real unforgettable memories. I don't want to leave with any hard feelings." She put out her open hand. "I want to leave here and you think of me fondly. Not some bitch that _broke_ your heart."

He stared at her hand. "You didn't break my heart… It was just infatuation, remember?" He gravely looked at her as her grin disappeared completely. He slowly took her hand, shaking it vaguely. "Good luck to you, McLaggen. Wishing you the best."

She forcibly smiled. "Thanks. I'll letter, okay?"

"Do whatever you want," he smirked with cold eyes.

"James!"

Both dropped their hands, looking at a girl with full curly hair and dark skin. Her hazel eyes shined mischievously as had a grin to match her eyes. James shot one last smirk to Chanel. "Good luck, McLaggen. I'm coming, Gigi!" He turned, striding away to the girl with swagger. He laid his arm lazily around her shoulders, waving Chanel, his first and last love, goodbye without a glance back.

_Blackhole back to reality, meaning end of flashback_

"Yeah," whispered James to himself. "Once I loved a girl, but never again."

**A/N: What do you think so far? I would love to know. **

**The next two chapters will be flashbacks to understand the character's backgrounds. And that there is a lot more to them than your first impression.**

**Please leave a little review down in the bottom box (yes, that one…right there…okay, yeah thanks.) XOXO =D**


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